The seventh and last race of the Le Mans Cup 2020 season got underway under sunny skies and warm temperatures in the Algarve. Within five minutes of the start of the race the Safety Car was deployed when the number 5 CD Sport Ligier of Michael Jensen went off into the gravel at T11. After 8 minutes the race went back to green In GT3 Rino Mastronardi was holding off the attentions of Michael Broniszewski in the number 74 Kessel Racing Ferrari and the number 2 Pzoberer Zürichsee by TFT Porsche of Nicolas Leutwiler, with the Porsche getting ahead of the number 74 Ferrari after 25 minutes of racing, but the Swiss drivers hard work was undone when the Porsche spun at T14 allowing Broniszewski to retake the position.

With less than 30 minutes remaining the number 27 MV2S Racing Ligier of Christophe Cresp spun on its own at T9 and while the French driver was trying to re-join he was collected by the number 24 United Autosports Ligier of Andy Meyrick, causing heavy damage to both cars and bringing out the Safety Car for the second time.

The LMP3 cars had to complete one final mandatory stop for fuel but Cauhaupe’s large 30 second lead was his undoing because the French driver had passed the entry to the pitlane when the Safety Car was deployed, whereas the rest of the field was able to dive into the pits and complete their final stop under the Safety Car and re-join.Cauhaupe pitted on the next lap but the damage was done; he re-joined in sixth place with all hope of victory gone.This also meant Laurents Horr in the no3 DKR Engineering Duqueine was effectively the 2020 champion because the no37 Ligier had to win the race.

The clock continued to count down as the debris was cleared and with less than nine minutes remaining the race went green again. The four GT3 cars, which didn’t need to make a second stop, were at the front of the massing LMP3 field and when the race resumed, they had to fight for position in their class as well as watch their mirrors for the LMP3 cars behind them.

The number 8 Iron Lynx Ferrari of Giacomo Piccini had to defend the lead as David Perel in the number 74 Kessel Racing Ferrari made a strong start. The two cars were side by side going into T1, with Perel getting ahead only to run wide and allow Piccini to retake the lead.

The GT3 battle went down to the final corner with Piccini taking the chequered flag just 0.2 seconds ahead of Perel with the number 2 Porsche of Julien Andlauer in third, 1.3 seconds behind the two Ferraris.